Duval County Public School educators along with OneJaxand Black Educators Rock facilitators partnered togetherto facilitate a Teach For America workshop exploring theintricacies of race, identity, and teaching in classroomsacross lines of difference. The team of facilitators utilizedthe "Race Cards" initiative developed by 904ward, akitchen table approach to having conversationson race and identity with across community lines.

TFA educators receive regularly scheduled training toimprove their teaching abilities to assist them to meet theneeds of their diverse classrooms within the schools of DCPS.Professional Development in education is a key componentto build and develop competent, confident and capableeducators.

The growth in the diversity of classroomsacross Jacksonville, Florida shows that teachers need tobe supported to address multiple issues that distractstudents and create learning challenges in schoolsand classrooms.

Pictured are educators and facilitators in the discussionof race, bias and stereotypes that students may face in classrooms of Duval County Public Schools and usingthe "Race Cards" resource to guide the discussionsand help students understand and cope with thesesensitive issues that create questions about their placein society.

Training's like these set a foundation of professionaldevelopment that builds professional learning communitiesand professional learning networks.

Continued training's like this empower teachers with the necessary knowledge and skill-sets to be able to addressing issues that are on the minds of students.

OneJax facilitators, William Jackson a 31 year educator with DCPS, national and international blogger and Aida Correa a business owner, artist and parent. Each have participatedand facilitated similar discussions with MetroTown In A Daywith high school students and worked with New TownSuccess Zone, Authors RoundTable, EdCamp educational conferences and with the international conferencePreventing Crime in the Black Community annualconference with the Florida State Attorneys Office.

Training's like these set a foundation to show the valueof professional development that builds professional learning communities (PLC) and professional learning networks(PLN) among teachers and provides avenues for continuedsupport and resources.

I don't understand the mentality of many on the left; Black kids must go to the neighborhood schools. Why is 'school choice' a wedge issue and political? Am I against black parents wanting their kids to have a 'black experience' within a neighborhood school? No. Are many black schools across the country receiving alot of money, and still failing? Yes. Should kids of any race be offered school choice as an option if the neighborhood school is counter productive? Yes.

In speaking of New York, in 1986 I was in the 3rd grade at a school in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn (PS 262). It was crazy violent. Fights all of the time, and teachers really not teaching anything. Myself getting into altercations almost constantly defending myself against agitators. That same year, I came to Jax, and for the 4th grade I went to Normandy Village on Herlong Rd in the Westside (bussed all the way from the Magnolia Garden area on the Northside). I was one of the very few blacks there. Things wasn't perfect, but there was a much more focus on learning within a safe environment, in contrast from PS 262. I was behind the curve compared to the other students, thanks to not learning anything in NY.

School choice helped Ron Desantis win the governorship in FL. 18 percent of black females (100K women) voted for Desantis. School choice as a wedge issue should disappear; just like the 2nd Amendment, gay rights, and being pro choice shouldn't be wedge issues.

School choice helped Ron Desantis win the governorship in FL. 18 percent of black females (100K women) voted for Desantis. School choice as a wedge issue should disappear; just like the 2nd Amendment, gay rights, and being pro choice shouldn't be wedge issues.

I don't get what you mean. These are "wedge issues" because they are issues people care very deeply about.

If you mean that people should be 100% pro-choice, opposed to gun ownership and completely in favour of full equal rights to homosexuals - then I agree! Clearly the issue is that bigoted religious gun nuts are allowing these wedge issues to persist!

Re: school choice. I personally think the best way to resolve the issue it massive investment in 'failing' schools. I don't have an issue with people being able to choose where their kid goes to school (we have that option, in a limited sense, in England) - but I think it a) should not mean people with money get to move their kids and the poor suffer, b) there should still be investment in the 'failing' schools to fix the issues (and thereby reduce the need for people to move elsewhere) and c) there should only be a public school option - this is not an issue that should be sorted by allowing private entities to get involved in the provision of public education.

« Last Edit: January 11, 2019, 11:28:48 AM by Adam White »

Logged

“If you're going to play it out of tune, then play it out of tune properly.”

^^^Everyone that's anyone on the right has moved leftward from being the 'evangelical conservative bigot types". This isn't 1988 anymore, then it was a big problem. The main thing that the right has is the NRA, the last thing from stopping us from being the UK protection-wise.

It's the left that have these countless wedge issues to divide Americans by victimhood status; a white Christian male will be at the very bottom of that chart (targeted by no longer relevant dystopian leftist groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center). At the very top of that pyramid of victimhood would be something like an Arabic speaking lesbian female from the Middle East. I'm not even kidding. That's only a pinch of the endless wedge issues on the left.

New Jersey is an example of failing schools that received alot of money (like 200M from Mark Zuckerberg to Newark schools, that are some of the worst in the USA). I still agree that money is needed to turn around bad schools, but the money must be allotted to the proper channels with no room for corruption.

^^^Everyone that's anyone on the right has moved leftward from being the 'evangelical conservative bigot types". This isn't 1988 anymore, then it was a big problem. The main thing that the right has is the NRA, the last thing from stopping us from being the UK protection-wise.

The UK is an island which helps out that low gun number. In the UK a frail 80 year old granny has to duke it out with a barrel chested goon who just broke in her house; sounds fair? The USA has a perforated border in which many guns come from South of it. Many on the left want to disarm law abiding citizens which would leave criminals to have the guns (coming from Mexico) to themselves. The left really loves criminals, which is why you can beat someone almost to death, and still vote here in Florida; I would've been fine with NON VIOLENT FELONS voting (which still will help Democrats).

School Choice is often about defunding public education rather than helping kids in bad schools. If Betsy DeVos or the Kochs are involved you can count on that being the goal.

No denying that both sides can have pros and cons. DeVos biggest controversy is said to be defunding schools in Michigan. That's interesting because many parts of the state Michigan (specifically Detroit) were dying, well outside of the control of DeVos (I'm just playing Devil's Advocate). Many of Michigan's schools weren't viable anymore, unless you consider a 1/24th filled school viable. I'm not saying that she's innocent, but Michigan is an interesting state with that controversy.

The UK is an island which helps out that low gun number. In the UK a frail 80 year old granny has to duke it out with a barrel chested goon who just broke in her house; sounds fair? The USA has a perforated border in which many guns come from South of it. Many on the left want to disarm law abiding citizens which would leave criminals to have the guns (coming from Mexico) to themselves. The left really loves criminals, which is why you can beat someone almost to death, and still vote here in Florida; I would've been fine with NON VIOLENT FELONS voting (which still will help Democrats).

One of the constituent nations of the UK is on the island of Ireland and has an open border with the Republic of Ireland - and a long history of terrorism. And still, the rate of gun-related homocides is lower....

Logged

“If you're going to play it out of tune, then play it out of tune properly.”

^^^Everyone that's anyone on the right has moved leftward from being the 'evangelical conservative bigot types". This isn't 1988 anymore, then it was a big problem. The main thing that the right has is the NRA, the last thing from stopping us from being the UK protection-wise.

It's the left that have these countless wedge issues to divide Americans by victimhood status; a white Christian male will be at the very bottom of that chart (targeted by no longer relevant dystopian leftist groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center). At the very top of that pyramid of victimhood would be something like an Arabic speaking lesbian female from the Middle East. I'm not even kidding. That's only a pinch of the endless wedge issues on the left.

New Jersey is an example of failing schools that received alot of money (like 200M from Mark Zuckerberg to Newark schools, that are some of the worst in the USA). I still agree that money is needed to turn around bad schools, but the money must be allotted to the proper channels with no room for corruption.

I really don't follow your logic. In any event, you can't just say that issues that are important to people shouldn't be wedge issues anymore. Maybe people shouldn't care about gun control - but they do. Maybe the political parties shouldn't make such a big deal about that sort of stuff, sure.

But 'gay rights' isn't a 'left wing' wedge issue - it's the righties who have a big problem with it. None of these issues are left or right wing issues. They are issues that people have differing opinions on. They are both 'left wing' and right wing issues, as they are issues for people from across the political spectrum.

Logged

“If you're going to play it out of tune, then play it out of tune properly.”

^^^I disagree with the right having a problem with LGBT in 2019. They used to overwhelmingly, but it's a dead wedge issue on the right (maybe besides the vice president). If you want to end your political career in 2019, harangue about someone who's LGBT being a problem.